After a photo shoot yesterday, I got to wondering how other photographers plan their shoots, and I thought I’d tell you about one of the ways I plan mine.
I don’t use a studio. There are a few reasons behind my choice. Financially, I don’t want the overheads. If needs must, I can hire a studio, but I haven’t had call to do that. Creatively, I much prefer location shoots and the variety they bring.
Take yesterday’s photo shoot. The brief was for some portrait photographs of Adrian Shooter, chairman of Chiltern Railways. I had to take photographs of Adrian in different environments; in an office, at Snow Hill Station (we were meeting at Moor Street Station), on the train and on the platform and I had an hour to do this. No problem!
As is usual with my photography shoots, I was walking into pretty much an unknown environment. What would the office be like? How about the lighting? Would the station and the train be busy? How about Adrian, is he happy to be photographed (no worries there, he was lovely)?
I started drafting out some plans with plain old pen and paper, which you can see below. Don’t laugh! Admittedly they are very rudimentary, but they make sense to me! I try and think about possible lighting situations and what settings I will use on my camera, although often that changes when I turn up at the location. I make a plan of my ideas. When I’m in the middle of shooting, it can be easy to get carried away and it helps to pull out my piece of paper and have a glance.
Although my drawings are very basic, upon closer inspection there is quite a lot of detail. The arrows coming out of the stick figures head? The direction of eye line. How to position arms? Check. Angles? Check.
As you can see, there are quite a few sketches and notes ( if you can read my scribbles) in relation to the train journey. But, ah, the best laid plans!!
I had about 30 minutes with Adrian, who had to dash to catch his train. Chiltern trains stop every half an hour at Moor Street. Travelling to Snow hill would be no good (as Adrian pointed out) as the train would be packed with commuters at that hour, plus it was under a tunnel so in relation to capturing a scene of Adrian sitting at a table – it would just be black in the background. Ideally we would have travelled to Solihull and back.
Okay, 30 minutes it was then! Let’s get cracking. Here are a selection of photos. Oh, and for all but the first photo of Adrian, I was standing on a chair!
Adrian dashed for his train and so I had another 30 minutes or so left. A lovely lady from Chiltern asked if I would be able to take some shots of Moor Street itself, so I happily obliged.
How do you plan your shoots? I would love to hear! (I’m sure your drawings are MUCH better than mine )
Don’t forget to put the 4th April in your diary & tell your friends. Not long to go until the 4am Project’s 1st Birthday!
Earlier this year I took a trip over to Londonderry to visit my Dad. I lived there for a few years when I was younger and know the city quite well. It was a great chance to shoot a another city at 4am!
The city was so, so still. The temperature was just right and there was no wind, adding to the silence of the streets. By 5am the sun was rising. Such a beautiful morning. It’s these types of experiences at 4am that got the 4am Project up and running.
Accidentally found this abandoned steam train whilst looking for somewhere to park and set up a shot of Craigavon Bridge. It has since transpired that this is part of the Foyle Valley Railway Museum, and not quite as abandoned as it first looked!
Craigavon Bridge
Even though I had lived in Derry, and have visited it many times since moving away, I had never taken a walk around the city walls, which were built around the original town in 1613. So I decided to document my walk with (lots of) photos and make a video.
Not long after my return home, the Derry Journal got in touch and asked if they could write a piece about my visit to Derry and the 4am Project.
Next time I go over to Derry I will organise a 4am photo walk through the city! If this is something you would be interested in, give me a shout and I’ll keep you posted.
UPDATE! Do you like strawberries and champagne? Thank you to my friends at Aquila TV who will be bringing along these tasty treats to celebrate the sun rising on the longest day of the year!
Foyle Bridge, Londonderry, N.Ireland at 4am
NEW DATE FOR 4AM PHOTOS!
Put the date in your diaries and tell your friends. The 4am Project has announced a new date – 4am on 21st June which is on a Sunday! It is also Summer Soltice and the longest day of the year. The sun will rise in London at 4.42 am. It’s going to be a beautiful time of day to capture!
There is a theme this time around for the 4am Project. It is street signs and/or shadows. With the sun rising when it does on this morning it will be great to capture the first shadows of the day breaking over the city.
I am organising a 4am photo walk AND picnic!
On the last 4am photo date on the 4th April I organise an outing to Birmingham New Street and Birmingham Wholesale Markets and we were all able to enjoy a very hearty breakfast at the market’s cafe. Unfortunately it is closed on Sundays, so bring a flask and a butty and we can relax after the photo walk with our special early morning city picnic! It will be a first!
We will meet at St Paul’s Square just before 4am and the walk will take a loop around parts of the city including the canals. Out photo journey will end back at St Paul’s Square were we can picnic on the grass. View Larger Map
I hope you can all come along and join in. You don’t have to come along to take part in the 4am project on 21st June – of course you can stay closer to home, but you are more than welcome to come along for the 4am photo walk and picnic! See you there
Admittedly they are very rudimentary, but they make sense to me! I try and think about possible lighting situations and what settings I will use on my camera, although often that changes when I turn up at the location. I make a plan of my ideas. When I’m in the middle of shooting, it can be easy to get carried away and it helps to pull out my piece of paper and have a glance.
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